Patent Application
20240417962
The present invention relates to a bathtub, specifically the combination structure of an overflow pipe installed inside of the bathtub for water drainage and a cover placed on the surface of the bathtub.
Bathtubs are equipped with an overflow outlet located at a predetermined high water level. When a user fills water into the bathtub and it reaches the full water level, any excess water will flow out through the overflow outlet and directly connect to the overflow pipe, which is connected to the bathtub's drainage pipe. This ensures that the water is discharged directly without causing the bathtub to overflow and potentially flood the bathroom floor, leading to wet and slippery conditions.
There are various forms of combination structures for such overflow pipes and covers. For example, Taiwanese Patent No. M613952, titled “Replaceable Assembly Structure for Bathtub Overflow Outlet”, features an adaptor that includes a ring-shaped body. The inner diameter of this body is suitable for fitting onto the outer end of the overflow pipe. Within the body, two transverse connecting pieces extend across the centerline, and each transverse connecting pieces includes a through-hole. The two ends of this through-hole includes a side hole which is a rectangular side hole. The outer circumferential surface of the body has evenly spaced, vertically protruding claw-like connectors. The outer sides of these connectors are aligned with a circular trajectory. Along the radial direction, a groove is concavely formed on the entire surface to accommodate a compression ring, which is then fitted onto each connector, allowing the inner side of the cover to be forced against the outer side of the compression ring. This enables the locking hole on the end face of the overflow pipe to be connected to the cover, whether it is a single-hole, double-hole, or no-hole type, through the component of on adaptor.
The structure described above facilitates the design of the overflow pipe end as a single-hole or double-hole configuration, allowing both types of covers to be interchangeable when replacement is required in the future. However, the disclosed case has several concerns that have led to a lack of competitiveness in the market:
Therefore, the aforementioned concerns including increased manufacturing costs, have weakened the competitiveness of the product.
The present invention intends to provide a bathtub overflow pipe that eliminates the shortcomings mentioned above.
The present invention relates to a bathtub overflow pipe structure and comprises an overflow pipe which is an elongated pipe and includes an L-shaped end in which an outlet end is formed. A first outlet is formed in the outlet end and a first connecting portion is formed to the inner periphery of the first outlet. An adaptor is ring-shaped and a passage is defined axially through the adaptor. The passage communicates with the first outlet of the overflow pipe. A first flange extends radially outward from one end of the adaptor. A second connecting portion is formed to the outer periphery of the adaptor and is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. A cover has a cap formed to one end thereof and a column extends axially from the inside of the cap. A second outlet is defined axially in the column and communicates with the passage. Two overflow holes are respectively formed through the wall of the column. A seal ring is mounted the outer periphery of the column. The column of the cover is inserted into the passage. The seal ring contacts against the inner periphery of the passage such that the cover is combined with the overflow pipe via the adaptor.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub overflow pipe structure that includes an adaptor between the outlet end of the overflow pipe and the cover, and the adaptor is detachably connected to the overflow pipe without need of any tool and screw. The cover includes a column and a seal ring is mounted to the column. The column is inserted into the passage of the adaptor, and the seal ring is fitted to the inner periphery of the passage. This allows the cover to be easily combined with the overflow pipe by the adaptor and efficient. In addition, the shape of the cover and the adaptor is not complicated and can be made without metal so as to be manufactured in low and reasonable cost.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
An adaptor 30 is a ring-shaped part and a passage 31 is defined axially through the adaptor 30. The passage 31 communicates with the first outlet 12 of the overflow pipe 10. A first flange 32 extends radially outward from one end of the adaptor 30. A second connecting portion 33 is formed to the outer periphery of the adaptor 30. The second connecting portion 33 of the adaptor 30 includes outer threads which are threadedly connected to the inner threads of the first connecting portion 13. The second connecting portion 33 is detachably connected to the first connecting portion 13. A rib 34 is formed to the passage 31 of the adaptor 30 and a test hole 341 is defined through the center of the rib 34. The rib 34 can be in a cross shape or the like, and a gap between the rib 34 and the inner periphery of the passage 31 communicates with the passage 31 so that the exceed water flows out from the gap and the passage 31.
A second flange 111 extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the L-shaped end of the overflow pipe 10, and the second flange 111 is located at a distance from the outlet end 11. A gasket ring 14 is mounted to the outer periphery of the L-shaped end of the overflow pipe 10 and contacts the second flange 111.
As shown in
A cover 40 has a cap 41 formed to one end thereof, and a column 42 extends axially from the inside of the cap 41. A second outlet 43 is defined axially in the column 42 and communicates with the passage 31. Two overflow holes 421 are respectively formed through the wall of the column 42. The overflow holes 421 are used to drain water through the overflow pipe 10 via the adaptor 30 and the first outlet 12. A groove 44 is formed in the outer periphery of the column 42 of the cover 40, and a seal ring 45 is mounted to the outer periphery of the column 42 and partially engaged with the groove 44. The column 42 of the cover 40 is inserted into the passage 31, and the seal ring 45 contacts against the inner periphery of the passage 31 such that the cover 40 is combined with the overflow pipe 10 via the adaptor 30.
As shown in
As shown in
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
